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Wednesday, 15 May 2013

10 Exercise Tips for Asthmatic Patients

Following these tips, living with asthma doesn't need to be so difficult and they could make your life that little bit easier.

1. Be compliant. The first step to being able to exercise with asthma is being able to have a degree of control over it. Learn your triggers and try and avoid them. See your doctor regularly and take your medications every day, not just on your bad days.

2. Follow your asthma action plan. This is a plan to help with your day to day well-being, helping you to recognise when your condition is acting up and when you may need to slow down. Perhaps use a peak flow meter to determine when you should take a day off from exercise.

3. Exercise is necessary. Exercise will make your heart and lungs stronger, and over time exercise will make you less out of breath. Even in the most severe cases of asthma, exercise is needed.

4. Choose a workout that is right for you. Find one you like and stick with it.

5. Ease yourself into it. Don't set yourself up for failure by taking too much on. Start slow and steady, building yourself up to achieving more and more.

6. Know you limits. Doing too much can do more harm than good. Be sensible about how much you take on. If your peak flows are low, take the day off exercise.

7. Don't be discouraged. Stick with your routine and be proud of yourself for achieving your goals. Don't compare yourself with someone else that may be able to do more than you.

8. Warm up. As an asthmatic, you will need twice as long on a warm up compared to a perfectly healthy person. Do plenty of stretches and start off cardio with a walk to build into a jog or run.

9. Workout in a warm temperature. Cold temperatures are likely to cause the muscles lining your respiratory tract to spasm, inducing asthma. Work out in temperatures at least 12 degrees Celsius. If it is cold outside, move your workout inside your house or a gym.

10. Pre-medication. Some asthmatics have found using their rescue inhaler before exercise keeps their asthma better in check. Ask your doctor about this to see if it could work for you.